08/29/2014

I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer network campaign for Cerafill powered by Redken. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with Redken and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.

Y'know that magic moment when you look at your hair in the mirror and think "Oh, crap -- is this what Mom was talking about?"

I'm pretty lucky when it comes to hair -- I've always had a big 'ol head of loads of fine, wavy hair.

But I'm 52 and things are changing. The "oomph" seems to be slipping a bit, and I'm not surprised. I pull it back in a ponytail when I workout, and I workout 5 days a week. My thyroid has needed a little help since the late 1980s, and the thyroid helps regulate hair growth (don't even get me started on the state of my eyebrows).

So when Vibrant Nation wanted to know if I wanted to review Redken's new Cerafill line of products, I immediately said yes.

There are two levels to the Cerafill line -- Defy for early signs of thinning hair, and Retaliate for advanced thinning. The Retaliate line contains Minoxidil, which is a drug that helps regrow hair.

I was given the four products in the Defy line:

Defy Shampoo, which improves the appearance of thinning hair and works on follicle-clogging sebum.

I've been using the products for a few weeks now, and I'm really happy with how my hair looks.

I don't have a before-and-after, per se, but I just wanted to show you how my hair looks right outta bed. Still oomphy! I really like the slightly tingly feeling of the shampoo and conditioner, and the Dense Fx also feels great on my scalp. As for the Texture Effect, I'm always in the shower with all the working out so I don't need dry shampoo all that often. But the few times I have tried it I was really happy with how it worked. I haven't had a lot of luck with dry shampoos -- they either don't do a thing or they leave my hair feeling gummy. This one didn't. It left my hair fresh smelling, clean feeling and "oomphier."

While my hair issues are definitely age and thyroid-related, if your thinning hair is really bothering you, I'd suggest talking with your doctor and/or dermatologist and perhaps show them the website for Redken Cerafill.

04/20/2014

I'm no yogurt expert (even though we have an entire refrigerator drawer devoted to yogurt), but I think South Floridians have been a little more acquainted with Liberte yogurt than much of the country since so many Canadians spend time down here. I've seen Liberte yogurt at the grocery store for years.

But now that the Canadian brand of yogurt is widely available in the U.S., it has been expanding its flavors, both in the ultrarich Mediterranee variety and the nonfat Greek line.

I'm a fan of Liberte's Greek yogurt but when you've got the calories to spare, their Mediterranee is a decadent splurge. And for all we know, full-fat dairy may even be better for us than we first thought.

Think about it -- a little creamy lime yogurt with a tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs on top. Instant Key lime pie!

Alas, I couldn't find the new flavors at any of my neighborhood grocery stores, but I did get coconut and lemon. Holy yum. Super creamy and definitely a splurge.

All varieties of Liberte yogurt have no added colors, artificial flavors, artificials sweeteners or preservatives. It's also gluten free, and made from rBST/rBGHt-free milk.

You can find a 40-cent coupon for Liberte at THIS page (plus you can also print out other coupons there, too).

Disclosure: Information and product samples have been provided by Liberte Yogurt through Platefull Co-Op.

12/03/2013

Do you know where your supplements come from? Before this summer's Fitbloggin conference, a group of bloggers got to visit the Oregon farm where many of Nutrilite's herbal and plant-based supplements are sourced. (That's just one of the spectacular views we saw, above.)

But how do you know which supplements should be part of your daily regimen? It can really be confusing with the myriad "miracles" hyped on daytime TV. Next thing you know, you're gulping down a giant handful of colorful supplements, not knowing whether they're doing any good for your body.

That's why Nutrilite's Supplement Recommender is so useful. In about 3 minutes, you tick off some boxes asking you the usual (age, sex, dietary habits) plus your goals, how often you get outside to soak up the vitamin D, whether your skin and nails could use a little help, if you wake up a little achy and stiff -- things like that. It can also help if you need a kosher or halal supplement or if you're vegetarian or vegan.

You'll get a recommendation on the Nutrilite supplements are right for you -- and it won't be a huge laundry list. For example, my recommendation was its Double X multivitamin/phytonutrient, its Ocean Essentials omega-3, and its Glucosamine 7.

Nutrilite also offers a MyPack line of supplements, which is super simple -- one pack in the morning and one at night. We got some packs when we visited the farm and they're an easy way to get in everything you need without filling your kitchen counter with bottles (keep 'em in the kitchen -- don't store supplements in the bathroom, where the hot steamy room with degrade them). At right is the Perfect Pack morning and evening packets, which include its multivitamin, multimineral, concentrated fruit and vegetable, and fish oil.

Did you check out the Supplement Recommender? What did you learn and how will you implement the supplement recommendations into your life? How are you taking charge of your health? Let me know and you might win a bevy of supplements!

10/20/2013

The Dukan Diet has been red hot since the book hit America.
Interest revved up when celebrity mags reported that Princess Kate did the Dukan
weight-loss plan to get her ready for
the royal wedding.

I know (from an actual DNA test) that I do better with fewer
carbs, but the lack of starches on many low-carb diets makes me
buggy. But that’s why Dukan’s more do-able for me because it includes oat bran in the plan. I love oat
bran – it provides soluble fiber and it keeps me full forever. Dukan sells its
own brand of organic oat bran as well as oat bran bars, turkey jerky and more in
its online store.

The Dukan Diet consists of four eating phases
to reach and keep your True Weight. Each person’s True Weight is based on
answers to a few short questions. You can calculate your True Weight at DukanDiet.com.

But some people find it hard to go it alone with just a book,
and now the Dukan Diet offers weight loss coaching. Dukan
coaches tailor users’ plans to each person's Dukan Diet profile and lifestyle
to help them maintain long-term weight loss. The eating program is adjusted every
day, based on your report from the previous day. I talked with Dukan’s
nutritionist Simone Gloger and asked her about the concept of True Weight,
which seems a lot more achievable than the “one-size-fits-all” goal weight
standard of many diet plans and doctors.

“[Dr.] Pierre Dukan takes into consideration different
factors when you calculate your True Weight, like how times you’ve been
pregnant, how many diets you’ve done, your body frame and all those other
components,” she said. “If you were pregnant before it will add on a few pounds
for each pregnancy. If you’ve done four diets in the past, you will be more
resistant to weight loss so that could add on a pound. Those factors help to
calculate your True Weight and then your True Weight is something that is
maintainable.”

Age also factors in – for every decade, another pound is
added onto the True Weight.

Some people will tell their coach that they want to weigh
less than their True Weight but the coach will warn them that the lower number
will be more difficult to maintain over the long term.

The Dukan coach will also come up with ways to overcome
plateaus, stoke your flagging motivation and provide meal ideas, and you can
call or email them any time.

Out of town? You can call your coach and peruse the menu
with them to come up with the best meal option.

09/09/2013

We go through a lot of cereal in our house. Between breakfasts, snacks and late-night cereal-fueled video gamers, a large swath of the pantry is devoted to cereal. So yesterday, I cleaned up at Publix's Breakfast Savings deal. Nothing like using a coupon on top of a buy-one-get-one-free deal.

You can, too -- the savings event is going on through Sept. 11 and there are buy-one-get-one-free deals on General Mills kids' cereals, including regular Kix and Honey Kix, which are full of air, so you can eat a big bowl for fewer calories than many cereals.

(In addition, there also are great deals in the freezer case on waffles, another item we go through quickly.)

04/13/2013

Another chance to be a fangirl over Publix -- gotta love a grocery special that encourages shoppers to focus on the perimeter of the store. That's where all the healthiest items hang out.

Starting April 24, shop the perimeter of Publix to and load up your cart with fresh produce and proteins. I always start in the produce section, then make my way up and down the aisles for the extras while finishing up in the meat and dairy sections and finally frozen. (I am an organized FIEND when grocery shopping.)

When you purchase participating products, you can save on store-brand items such as bagged salad, chicken breasts, eggs and fruit. And before you head out, visit www.freshsavingsevent.com to download and print.

Savings on fresh foods are only available through May 8.

And if you haven't tried Publix's digital coupons and you have a smartphone, you're missing out on a really simple and cool way to get extra deals. You don't even have to bring your phone with you -- all you do is punch in your phone number when you check out and it'll automatically deduct the coupons you "clip." (Find out more about that HERE.)

And here's the best part -- I'm giving away a $25 Publix giftcard (go spend it on something healthy and tasty).

My favorite thing in the produce section right now are those little mangos, which are usually a buck apiece. They're great because the pit inside is really small and they're pretty easy to peel. A bowl of mango mixed with Greek yogurt is a lovely thing.

09/20/2012

Publix Fangirl here with another "Running Out? Run In" deal from Publix. If your idea of a convenience store involves scratch-off tickets and buckets of slush, you should reconsider. Your local grocery store can be just as quick a stop as the corner mini-market (with a much better selection of products).

Now for that $25 Publix gift card. Want to win it? Just leave me a comment below, letting me know if you can actually run into the store for "just one thing" and leave with that one thing. I actually did it Wednesday -- I needed a bag of onions and that's all I bought!

Deadline for the giveaway is Saturday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. ET.

Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information, and additional gift card has
been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

08/20/2012

Ever since detergent pods were invented, we've been big fans. No measuring, no spilling and the ability to shoot free throws in the laundry room.

And with the kid wearing two sets of clothes pre- and post-camp, plus my sweaty workout duds on top of the usual family loads, we've been angling for a spot on the Miami Heat.

What could be easier than Tide Pods? How about having them shipped directly to your front door?

Now through Aug. 31, if you purchase Tide Pods through the P&G eStore, you'll get free shipping with a $25 purchase and 10 percent off for new shoppers. (I earn a commission on any sales at the P&G eStore from Shrinking Sisters readers who purchase products through the widget below.)

We've tried Tide Pods Spring Meadow, and while we don't feel quite as free and breezy as Julie Andrews in the opening scene of The Sound of Music, laundry time is simpler and the clothes smell great.

In addition, you can find P&G eStore deals on lots of Olay, CoverGirl, Crest, Oral-B, Swiffer and more products from Procter & Gamble.

But get shopping -- the deal ends Aug. 31. And the deal isn't just for you -- let all your laundry-lovin' friends know about this, too.

05/17/2012

Publix Fan Girl here again with another chance to win a $25 Publix gift card. And even if you don't win, you can easily earn a $5 Publix gift card with the store's Running Out? Run In event, which features brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble.

It's all meant to get us to think differently about running in for a few quick things at the grocery store. Convenience stores are anything but convenient. They're cramped, overpriced and have a really limited selection of items. So why not stop in where you usually shop, especially now that some Publix stores have added self-checkout stations. You can grab a tube of Crest or a box of Cheerios, check yourself out and be back in your car in 5 minutes -- that's convenient.

More deets on the deal:

Now through May 23, look for the “Running Out? Run In” event at Publix to take advantage of savings on brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble.

Also, look in stores for more than $15 in coupon savings – coupons are valid through June 2.

Receive a $5 Publix gift card to use on your next shopping trip when you purchase $30 or more in participating items during the event (now through May 23); simply mail in the rebate form found in-store or online at runningoutrunin.com along with your original receipt(s).

So, that Publix $25 gift card -- how to win? Just let me know in the comments below what you're always running out of. For me, it's snack foods, since we house the Teen-age Eating Machine. Deadline for the giveaway is Friday, June 1 at 8 p.m. ET.

Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information and additional gift card have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

02/16/2012

Break out the pasta strainers, Southern babies, it's time for Publix Italian Days. I'm a big fan of making sausage and peppers with Publix Greenwise hot Italian chicken sausage. I saute a bunch of red and green bell peppers, red onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Then slice the sausage into rounds, toss it into the pan with the vegetables and saute until done.

It can go over anything from pasta to rice to a baked potato to slice 'n' bake polenta (really good).

During Italian Days,which starts today and runs through Feb. 29, you can find special prices and coupons on brands including Progresso, Green Giant and Muir Glen.

You can also enter the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes for a chance to be one of 500 shoppers who will win a $100 Publix gift card, sponsored by General Mills.

To enter to win the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes and download coupons and recipes, look in-store or follow the instructions below:

Click - Stay up to date with the latest General Mills promotions happening at Publix, by visiting ClickCallMail.com. Once you´re registered and logged in, you can participate in any of the current promotions.

Call - If you´d prefer to enter the sweepstakes and participate in other promotions via telephone, feel free to call the General Mills hotline, at 800-627-6059, and be sure to say that you want to enter the 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes. Please be sure to provide your complete contact information (Full name/address/ZIP code/phone number).

To enter

Leave a comment below, telling me your favorite healthy Italian dish. (Mine is a pumpkin risotto I found in the cookbook Weight Watchers: Simply the Best Italian.) Contest deadline is noon ET on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012. (Giveaway over.) We'll choose one winner at random by pointing blindfolded at the computer screen after being spun around 50 times on the office chair.